Vincent was in his office quite early in the morning. All the paper accumulated on his desk like a tower of tons of work and he sighted: Norman wasn't behaving like he was supposed to do. Even if Vincent knew that he was a prodigy in science, he was quite problematic 

He had dangerous ideias of freedom and for god's sake he was working for the government: Didn't he know he had to dirty his hand and do the dirty job? Vincent knew Norman wasn't that innocent but...

He was steeping out of the line in those terms 

" Boss, I confirmed your suspicion...the security camera guards gave me the audio recording. Norman does indeed talk and interact with the creature in a too kind way...he isn't conducting the experiment, the president asked of this laboratory" 

" Cislo, I already knew that...tell me something new" 

" They said, they couldn't hear in the recordings what he said to her, but they think he said..." I won't let them hurt you anymore" 

Vincent closed his eyes and sighted 

" Well, we have here an interesting case...he knows he can't do this and yet he is being stubborn? When I saw his profile I was expecting a highly intelligent scientist  who would go along my game...but this is something knew..." 

" Indeed Boss! Some guards suspect that Norman is trying to escape with the mermaid to take her out of the lab in order to save her any any means necessary... what do you-" 

" What? Are you joking Cislo? This is a high security facility, fly don't even come in this place, or leave. Norman isn't stupid...if he uses a brain cells of that big brain of his, he conclusion he always arrives to is the same..." 

There is no way out of that place. 

Norman sighted: He had the map he made, by hand as he looked over the parts of the facility he had access too: it was almost like a mind map of that place. There was nothing...everything was done with the ultimate care of not letting  anything get out of that place. 

" Damn...this is more difficult than I tough...what should I do... the experiments they want me to conduct are getting more violent by the day and I'm sure Vincent saw the audio records and plans on doing something to force me to do what the government wants..."

Norman rose his face in the winter's evening: He couldn't hurt her and he knew that. It was going against his morals and will. He sighted: didn't he done that before? Didn't he conducted abusive experiment before? 

And he didn't feel a thing so...why now? 

He smiled and he climbed the roof top of his little apartment to get a glimpse at the city at night, all the light glowing in the darkness of a turbulence of tiny lives that went and go, just like the wind that was brushing his face and his silver hair 

" Emotions...really are a nuisance...but- Norman placed a hand in his hearth - I wouldn't live without them" 

Norman remembered strangely how Emma asking him, not long ago in a clumsy way if she was a pain to him. When he closed his eyes, leaving the fear of actually falling of the rooftop, Norman could hear everything, and the air was more clear to him 

He had been losing that life was really...what it meant to be alive 

And when he tough of pain...the messy frizzy hair of his father, who adopted him with open arms and told him all the important thing he only realized by now, and the face of the brunette mermaid, who would sing a song filled with northern lights just for him, crossed his mind in a flash 

" Dad...Emma...You two sure are a real pain...one that I must keep" 

When he went back to his apartment using the window just like a door, Norman looked at the map he had done moments before. He almost laughed when he noticed his mistake in his own toughs and calculations:

Of course it would be impossible to get out of the facility in a conventional way! That he was about to do was an act of madness, a act of irrationality like he never done before. The way out should also be something crazy and non logical, but still he knew...

"The turbulence and disorder of things, are the most logical in the eyes of the universe" 

Norman smiled: a wisdom his father left him as he best legacy he could ever asked for, and now he could see everything clear. He spent the rest of the night writing and drawing on that mind map by the light of the tiny lamp by his desk.

When Norman arrived at the lab the next day he noticed how the body guards looked at him: he was already expecting that. What he wasn't expecting was how weak he was when it came to give up that he had 

He was resisting and his actions didn't match his emotions, his toughs...he ended up puting that map on the garbage, asking himself if he was getting sick: it was like he was forcing himself to be something he couldn't be...something he wanted to be 

He wanted to be like his dad, he wanted to become that he wanted him to be

And yet he was to weak...he was too scared 

And he promised Emma he would help her just to but out and be a coward...how nice of him?

" Hello mister Norman, please conduct the experiment today and make your report, just like president Vincent advised. We will make sure the creature doesn't do you any warm" 

Those guys were really pissing him off. He wished they said things directly on this face, but now...he couldn't complain, since he, himself also played that game:

" So...are you making sure I conduct experiment number 5...let me see... resistance to electric sock waves? Is this the one Vincent want to see in a report?" 

Norman had a smug look...he couldn't help him

" Yes, please sir. Also, Mister Vincent wants to see the last report of the music reactions. You haven't write that one yet, right? The camera records didn't seem to be active at that time for some reason..." 

" Very well... Still, I have a condition...if Vincent wants the report, I want him to let me go home since I left all my papers there concerning that research. If he thinks this experiment is more important I have to ask that you leave, please" 

Cislo made an ugly face...he wished he could smash that head and brains of his...

" I can't do that sir, and president Vincent also said that you cannot leave the lab until you conduct experiment number 5...the government is waiting for results sir" 

Norman smiled...everything was going was he planned 

" Now that's a shame...because I really need to be alone to do this experiment"

" That's going against the rules sir, and that cannot be done. Please, don't resist so we don't have to use force on you" 

Norman lift his hand as if he was about to take something from his bag was he entered the lab...he had a paper on his hands and Cislo glimpsed at him. He could read as the title " Report of the song experiment" Norman smiled 

" Ups...it looks like I did my report after all...but is this of any use? Vincent already knows about the results of the experiment, so why deliver this to him now?" 

" Excuse me sir? President Vincent said he only had a recording camera at the lab pointing at the creature to secure that it was here. Are you saying that president is spying on you?" 

" It's more like...you are spying on me...with the hidden cameras in your pockets" 

Cisclo winded his eyes. When did he?-

" So you see...I decided to lie on my reports, making sure I didn't leak any information that you could you use to cause Emma warm, but I soon noticed the hidden cameras in the pockets of every guard... so I pretended I didn't noticed and continue hiding information from you, as I knew Vincent was aware of the truth"

Norman played with his white hair as he looked strait at Emma from the other side of the lab's door. She had a worried face but he smiled at her. Than with a strait cold emotionless face Norman got closer to Cisclo hidden camera, and smiled at it 

" You were ready to trow me out right...you really tough I played into your hands? Well...unfortunately I've been hiding information but you've been hiding cameras? Who's gonna break the ice first, Vincent?"

Were was no response and Cisclo was staring to lose his self restrain 

" Oh...Vincent? Are you afraid of a simple scientist? I don't bite you know that?" 

" How dare you talk to president like that you slut-" 

" Please let scientist Norman down, Cisclo" 

Vincent walked in this the same emotionless face as Norman. Everyone was silent on that room and Emma was quite angry, looking at Norman from the little window in lab's door. Vincent was as scary as silent 

" It's nice to see you in person Vincent...so what are you going to do?" 

" Well, Norman that was really well played, congrats. Congrats on trying to hide the fact that Siren songs weaken the creature that you tried to protect"

Norman erased his smile. Now...that was too dirty even for a jerk like Vincent 

" Well...it takes just a phone call to say that I was conducting my job under surveillance without my permission" 

" It also takes a phone call to report to the government that  you've been hidden confidential information from your nation and ignoring the experiments that need to be done, Norman my friend" 

Norman closed his eyes...that pressure the verge of collapsing...any movement would make a diference. He was scared? He also felt trilled...it was actually somehow funny...how thing would collapse so easily

" AAHAHAHHH " - Norman couldn't stop laughing...what was he doing? 

" What's so funny Norman? Are you sure you feel all right? Should you be going home...permanently? You are invalid as you are right now...such a shame for such a brilliant mind...all scientist do strive to madness" 

" That's right... I just understood something so stupid right now...I wasn't forcing myself! Deep down I always wanted to destroy all this, I always wanted to leave this all behind! Congrats Vincent, your brain washing in this environment almost worked on me" 

" Really? "- Vincent had something on his hand 

" Really! That a shame...I think I'm leaving my obedient routine good scientist who sides with the devil role for today..." 

Everything happen to fast. As Vincent used the control he had to play Siren songs, in order to weaken Emma, Norman used the electric devise he had to experiment on Emma on his hand to knock Cisclo down. His body was indeed fragil, but he was quite fast and his movements were direct 

Emma got out of the tank and cradle to Norman's side as Vincent got up from all the mess. Why wasn't the Siren songs having an effect on her? Did Norman lied about that too? 

" Sorry Vincent...but Emma and I talked over and we agreed that Siren songs, and lost family members memories are actually... a good kind of pain" 

" What the-" 

Emma didn't gave him time to rise, as she jumped on him to bit his neck. Sweating from the nervousness, Norman noticed how aggressive Emma was being and placed a hand on her solder:

" Easy Emma...I'll take care of him" 

Saying so, Norman used the electric devise to knock Vincent down. With a huge sound, his heavy body feel into the ground in one strike and Norman painted heavenly as Emma growled at Vincent's steady face. 

When where was only silence, Norman looked at Emma was she looked back at him. She smiled at him and without any words she understood that he meant. He placed her hand around his neck and shoulders and he rose up, picking up her tail on this frail hands. 

It was a strange feeling, carrying her in his arms, walking over the sleeping bodies on the ground...he felt empty, full, good and bad at the same time...maybe confused? He almost crashed into the ground, his legs to weak to carry his own weight and...

Hers 

Norman laughed as he walked right out of the facility, before anyone else would notice what happen, before Don and Gilda came from the breakfast break. It was hilarious how simple was the answer he had always been searching for... 

How to get out of that lab with Emma? 

Using the front door of course

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Thank you so much for reading this chapter! All the credits for the art , cape and AU ideia and comics of this fanfic are to @stray_tori on Tumblr, Twitter and Instagram! Please go check her fantastic art!

Note: Mika-hime changed her name so please search her art by the new name of her account!

Thank you so much and see you soon!